A settlement in a class-action lawsuit against Snapchat and its parent company, Snap. Inc., was reached this month for $35 million, and could have Snapchat users in Illinois eligible for a payout between $58 to $117.
The original lawsuit alleged that Snapchat’s lenses and filters collected and stored users’ biometric information without informed consent, which would violate the state’s biometric privacy laws.
Illinois’ Biometric Privacy Act (BIPA) prohibits private-sector companies and institutions from collecting biometric data from unsuspecting residents in the state or online. Under Illinois law, that data cannot be sold, transferred, or traded, and citizens are allowed to sue for alleged violations.
Illinois’ BIPA is considered to be one of the nation’s strictest biometric privacy laws and has resulted in several class-action lawsuits against some of the tech industry giants, including Google and Facebook.
Illinois residents who have used lenses or filters on Snapchat since Nov. 17, 2015, which attorneys estimate could be as many as 3.8 million people, may qualify for a piece of the settlement.
Illinois residents who believe they may be eligible have until Nov. 5 to file a claim. You can learn more about the settlement and file a claim here.